Bangladesh have won the toss and elected to bowl in the first Test against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, September 19. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto reckoned that the overhead conditions might help the seamers in the first session especially. The temperatures were around 28 degrees, which was unlike Chennai, however, there are no chances of rain. Indian captain Rohit Sharma also wanted to field suggesting that the pitch looked a bit soft.
India made one surprise call in an otherwise expected line-up, bringing in an extra seamer which meant that Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep both were in the line-up alongside Jasprit Bumrah with R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for support in the spin department. There was an expectation that India might go in with Kuldeep Yadav as the fifth bowling option considering that Chennai has traditionally been a spin-friendly wicket but overhead conditions had a part to play.
The rest of the line-up bears an expected look with KL Rahul slotted to bat at No 5 and Rishabh Pant being the wicket-keeper. With Bangladesh also selecting three pacers, the Indian openers will have to be wary of the early movement because of the weather and pitch conditions. Captain Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal will hope to give India a good start while Bangladesh aim for a couple of wickets.
This is the first time since 1982 that a team has opted to bowl in Chennai in a Test match, after 21 matches in the format at the venue.
India's playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep
Bangladesh's playing XI: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana
